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March Scrum Wrap Up / May Scrum Kick Off

We have reached the end of another scrum.  Congratulations to Brian Cortese on being the new scrum champion.  He defeated Brad Park in the final round to take home the crown.  Or the championship belt.  Or trophy.  We need to get one of those things for the current scrum champion to wear / take to all their games.  Scrum Overlord Mark Howard, we should make that happen.

I ended up with a 4-2 record and landed in sixth place, due to strength of schedule tie breaks.  It turns out that having both your losses to the second and third place players helps your strength of schedule a bit.  Overall I am happy with how I played.  The Deneghra2 list was my main drop, and it turns out I should have dropped that even in the one game where I played Coven.  It's a very strong list and one that I am committing to for the next several months.  I have never truly committed to a list before and really attempted to master it, so this will be a bit of an adjustment for me.  I usually end up always chasing a new idea, but that is what I will use my second list for going forward.

In the past, we have had several weeks between each scrum, as they kick off every other month.  However, due to a delay from the Southern Ontario Open and the need for six rounds, this Friday our pairings for the next scrum will be announced.  This means I will go ahead and talk a little about my list pairings for the next scrum.  Lists do not officially lock until 6:00 PM on Friday, so these could change up until then, but I believe I am fairly set on what I am playing in the May scrum.

My first list, as already indicated earlier, is going to be the same Deneghra2 dark host list I played in the last scrum.  I am starting to get very comfortable with the list, but I need to start making real use of breath stealer.  I feel if I can start identifying the correct time and place to apply that spell, it will take my ability to use this list to the next level.  The only potential change I would make to this list is replacing Orin Midwinter with Eilish.  Each serves a slightly different purpose.  Orin is there to help keep Denny safe on the turns she is incorporeal, while Eilish makes sure a unit doesn't get neutered by upkeeps.  I have gotten decent work out of Orin with chain lightning, but I can see why Eilish is the preferred option.  Sadly, I don't own Eilish, so I will continue to run Orin until Eilish becomes available in general release.  For those who don't remember, here is my Deneghra list:

(Deneghra 2) Wraith Witch Deneghra [+28] - Dark Host
 - Deathripper [6]
 - Deathripper [6]
 - Stalker [8]
 - Stalker [8]
 - Skarlock Thrall [0(4)]
Bane Lord Tartarus [0(6)]
Darragh Wrathe [9]
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor [5]
Soul Trapper [1]
Bane Knights (max) [15]
Bane Riders (max) [20]
Bane Warriors (min) [10]
 - Bane Warrior Officer & Standard [0(5)]
Wraith Engine [15]

My second list is going to be the new shiny in Cryx's stable.  Skarre3 will be sailing into battle, leading a slaughter fleet raiders army.   When I first saw dash and decel on Skarre3's spell list, I started thinking about how rude that would make a dark host list, especially if you could run double cav and double wraith engines.  However, I am already taking Deneghra2 in dark host, and if you properly apply breath stealer, it actually helps threat ranges more than dash.  Due to this, I started looking at where else Skarre3 could be used.  The more I looked at her kit, the more it really looks like she was created to lead a slaughter fleet army.

The hard part for me was working through the jack loadout.  I know many people are advocating for a pair of leviathans in her lists, but I don't own two leviathans.  The more I consider them, I also am not sure she can effectively fuel them.  She probably is going to want to cast decel and dash until the lines meet, while getting out and upkeeping draconic blessing.  Dark waves could be useful to help with positioning when you finally go in.  What this tells me is that she doesn't want to be casting guided fire while giving out focus to boost damage rolls, because she will be doing other stuff with that focus.  She is also a little unique as a Cryx caster, as she doesn't need an arc node.  After some consideration, I settled on a kraken as the sole model in her battlegroup.  The kraken can get turned up to 11 with draconic blessing and gang fighter, and can be a little resilient to shooting under decel on the way in.

For units, I knew I wanted a unit of bloodgorgers with Jussika and a unit of marauders.  I also took the iron mongers to be able to repair both Skarre after she feats, and the kraken if it takes any hits on the way in.  They can also help the kraken's accuracy with curse if needed.  A unit of dirge seers was also on my list.  They can put up clouds that can effectively buff the defense of models in or near them or hand out guidance if I need either magic weapons or eyeless sight.  My initial version of the list also ran a unit of smog belchers, largely because I wanted to see all the new stuff on the table.  However, I ended up swapping them out for a second unit of bloodgorgers instead.  I am still not certain which is the correct choice, but the extra bloodgorgers to keep Skarre safe from shooting seemed like a better choice.

The solos were pretty easy.  If you are taking bloodgorgers, you have to take Gerlack Slaughterborn, and Axiara Wraithblade seems important if you are taking all kinds of medium based infantry.  Finally, a blood priestess to help upkeep spells for free and grant Skarre3 sucker.  Even though she would be ARM 21 vs ranged under decel, I have heard too many people start crunching numbers and then declare that their list would shoot her off the table.  Sucker means you need to chew through that second unit of bloodgorgers first, and they will all be tough and hopefully within range of Jussika for no knockdown.  My last solo choice was my mercenary addition, Saxon Orrik.  My biggest concern with all this infantry is a lack of pathfinder.  He at least helps one unit, while Jussika grants her unit relentless charge.

I am super excited to put this list on the table and see if it comes together the way I hope.  Here is the complete list:

(Skarre 3) Skarre, Admiral of the Black Fleet [+27] - Slaughter Fleet Raiders
 - Kraken [36]
 - Satyxis Blood Priestess [0(4)]
Axiara Wraithblade [0(6)]
General Gerlak Slaughterborn [0(6)]
Saxon Orrik [4]
Black Ogrun Iron Mongers [6]
Blighted Trollkin Marauders (max) [15]
Bloodgorgers (max) [15]
 - Jussika Bloodtongue [5]
Bloodgorgers (max) [15]
Scharde Dirge Seers [6]

One final announcement, and it's fairly minor.  I am changing the name of the blog from Strong Gaming to Shoulda Boosted.  I don't think this will do anything to the links where the blog is found, it will likely just change the name that displays on the main page.  This came from a conversation I was having with a friend where it was decided that Shoulda Boosted would be a great name for a podcast.  Well, I don't have a podcast, so I am going to go ahead and use the name here.  Hopefully next week I will have my first round game write up ready to go.  As always, thanks for reading!

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